Ladies in Waiting Ministry

Ladies in Waiting Ministry

"I prayed for the child, and the Lord granted my request." 

 ~ 1 Samuel 1:27

I am at that point in my life--where I have been once before, about 30 years ago.  I was engaged and getting married, my friends were getting engaged, getting married--we attended   the circuit of all the bridal showers--all of the weddings.  

My mom and dad right before I got married to Joe!

Then many of these young wives were becoming mothers--once again we attended all the baby showers, and celebrated when the new little pink or blue bundle was born!  

The difference 30 years later is--that this cycle of engagement, weddings and babies involves the 'friends' of my kids!

When I was expecting my first baby I learned something about my dad I never knew before.  

Joe and me as newlyweds,
and expecting our first baby

My dad was in a prayer ministry since about the time I was born--actually he started this beautiful ministry, and he continues it today: 

The Ladies in Waiting Apostolate.

The ministry is devoted prayer for those who are hopeful and prayerful for a new life!  This is an apostolate of prayer for women who want children by conception or adoption.

For over 50 years my father and the powerful The Ladies in Waiting Apostolate (comprised of hundreds of faithful prayer warriors) has been praying for pregnancy, safe delivery and successful adoption. 

While he is a very devote Catholic, the Apostolate prays for all women--no matter what their religious affiliation.

I am blessed to be among the hundreds of prayer warriors in the Apostolate.  We have seen many prayers answered.  We have seen other prayers go unanswered--which is always heartbreaking.  But we continue to pray and while we don't know why, we have to trust in God's plan, and let me tell you, this can be a very difficult task!  Sometimes there are very dark times for these couples.  But having hope in God's plan during these times of sadness reminds me of something  Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, 
"When it is dark enough, you can see the stars."

I can tell you I have more compassion for women trying to conceive, because like many women, I too had my own dark days of wanting a baby, when Joe and I lost our second baby.  

I didn't understand why God would take a baby we planned for, had dreams for...

While I can now fast forward 25 years later--and have clearer perspective, I can honestly tell you that I see God's hand in my life then and now (that's one good thing about getting older, we not only gain wrinkles...we are blessed with a little wisdom too).  

When one is so close to the desire and the anxiousness, it is hard to understand or"Be still and know He is God" and-- you-are-not-He!  :)

The comfort of knowing others are praying for you--and for new life...I believe that's God's grace being poured out for us.

The Apostolate does not always hear about the outcome of our prayers.  But this week, we found out that one of the couples that The Ladies in Waiting Apostolate have been praying to conceive--for several years--is happily through her first trimester!  The joy of learning the news did our hearts good!
  

Daily prayers continue for the hundreds of women who are pregnant--for a healthy baby, and safe delivery.  Daily prayers continue for those who are trying to conceive, and for those who desire to adopt.

If you are reading this, and you or anyone you know is seeking to conceive, adopt or is pregnant and would like The Ladies in Waiting Apostolate to pray for you, you can email:

prayer@theladiesinwaitingapostolate.faithweb.com

I Lasso the power of prayer!

I Lasso the beautiful ministry of 

The Ladies in Waiting Apostolate 

my dad started over 50 years ago!  

I Lasso the love I have for my dad!

Adventures of Being a Nonna!

Adventures of being a 

Nonna!

If you follow my blog, you know that I am crazy about my family!  I am also crazy about my twenty month old grandson!  I love that he made us "Papa and Nonna" -- although my name comes out "NoNo", but you know what, I will answer to whatever he wants to call me!

This little boy has charm, personality and has completely stolen my heart!

His animated personality is beginning to emerge.  

He loves music--what amazes me is he seems to hear music and 'beats' in the simplest sounds...for example when our dogs are drinking from the metal water bowl, and their tags hit against the bowl--he starts to move to the rhythm and beat!  When he hears the wind chimes at our house, he stands perfectly still, recognizes the chimes as music and begins to sway!  You can only image how he rocks out when he hears real music!

He loves cars and choo-choos!  We were tickled to see his excitement when we gave him a Thomas the Engine Table and trains for Christmas. 

He notices the face of Thomas and that it sticks out and he can touch!  He thought THAT was cool!

He started to realize there was more to this toy than a Thomas face!  He explored more!

Then everyone became a kid playing with Landon!
He calls bowls "buckets" or "bucky" -- that's a long story!

I think Papa Joe looks as cute as Landon here playing!

My turn to play with little boy!

Sara captured this darling expression when I showed him that the trains are magnets and can stick to one another!  Way cool!

And while Ryan and Sara were not home for Christmas, they did come home the weekend of the Feast of the Epiphany--so we still had Christmas decorations up throughout the house.

Sara and Ryan at their home

Just some of our Christmas decorations taken with my cell phone,  kind of blurry

One evening before going to bed--it was dark outside and all of the trees and bannister lights were on...he looked around and he looked up at the bannister lights and Christmas trees--and when he looked up at me he pointed and said, "Wow!  Cool!"  Okay, it may seem like two simple words to you...but to me, it was magic!  

Since they don't live close by, I really want his visits here to be special.  I want to create for him, what hopefully we created for our own kids growing up...a feeling that the holidays at Nonna and Papa's house are are very special.

He is so loved...he is blessed to have wonderful grandparents on both sides of the family--with Gigi, Gumpa, and Mimi.  He has truly captured the hearts of us all!

I remember as a young mom, when I was getting close to giving birth to our son, Adam--Joe and I had just gone through our ritual of bath time, story time, prayers and night time song--tucking Sara in for the night-- Sara was almost 2 years old at the time...well from fatigue of being pregnant, not to mention the added adventure and energy needed to chase around a toddler, coupled with the hormones raging, and the anticipation of having "children" I started to cry.  Not a weepy cry, but a sobbing cry.  

Joe asked me, "Kathie, what's wrong?" and I told him, "Joe it is just too awful to say out loud!"  He said, "Kath, you have to tell me why you are crying!"  I said, "I am so worried I won't love this baby that we are about to have as much as I love Sara!"  Well, Joe, not having hormones raging, fatigue from pregnancy hugged me and said, he couldn't imagine a sillier thing to worry about--especially from me.

But I remember this overwhelming concern and powerful feeling--for me at the time, the worry was real, and such a grave concern.  

What I didn't realize was when Adam (and then later Jenna) was born--my capacity for loving grew exponentially!  It reminded me of when the Grinch's heart grew three sizes larger.

It also gave me a glimpse of God's love for us!  "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you..."  ~  Jeremiah 1:5



In July, Sara will have her second baby!  Yes, Sara and Ryan will have children!  

Which means Nonna and Papa, Gigi, Gumpa and Mimi will have another little grand baby to smother with love!

From where I sit, it is hard to imagine loving another grand baby more than I love Landon, but I know that I will be blessed with my heart growing larger!  What a miracle, what a blessing...the gift of life!

So for now, I Lasso loving one grand baby at a time!

Nonna and Landon saying Good Night Moon!  

Seeing the world through the eyes of a child, 

it was a complete thrill to introduce my grandson to the moon!  

Sara, thank you for snagging this precious picture!